Vergleicht man die Wiedergabe von 1. Johannes 5:7-8 in verschiedenen Bibelübersetzungen, fällt einem ein Unterschied auf:
„Denn es sind drei, die ⟨es⟩ bezeugen: der Geist und das Wasser und das Blut; und die drei sind einstimmig“
„Denn drei sind es, die Zeugnis ablegen im Himmel: der Vater, das Wort und der Heilige Geist, und diese drei sind eins; und drei sind es, die Zeugnis ablegen auf der Erde: der Geist und das Wasser und das Blut, und die drei stimmen überein.“
„For there are three that testify: the Spirit and the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement.“
„For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. And there are three that bear witness in earth, the spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one.“
(1. Johannes 5:7,8 Elberfelder, Schlachter 2000, New American Standard Bibel, King James Version)
Gewisse Übersetzungen enthalten einen Teil, der eindeutig die Lehre der Trinität stützt. Andere, meist modernere Übersetzungen, enhalten den Text nicht. Warum? Kurz gesagt, handelt es sich hier um einen gefälschten Text (mehr dazu in den Foren-Artikeln). Vermutlich den bekanntesten verfälschten Text.
Dieser Zusatz ist sogar so bekannt, dass er einen eigenen Namen hat: Comma Johanneum, was bedeutet ‚johanneischer Satzabschnitt‘ (siehe z.B. Wikipedia Comma Johanneum)
Der Wikipedia Artikel fasst zusammen: „Dieser Abschnitt fehlt in allen griechischen Handschriften mit Ausnahme weniger später Minuskeln. Viele Kirchenväter verraten überhaupt keine Bekanntschaft mit dem Satz, so z. B. Hieronymus. Andere, wie Augustinus, kannten ihn zwar, betrachteten ihn aber anscheinend als nicht zum Bibeltext gehörig. Die Vulgata in der Version des Hieronymus enthielt das Comma Johanneum nicht.“
Diese Passage scheint ihren Ursprung in einer Glosse in einem lateinischen Manuskript am Ende des 4. Jahrhunderts zu haben. Im 5. Jahrhundert wurde es dann in den Text der alten lateinischen Bibel eingefügt, jedoch nicht in den frühesten Versionen der Vulgata. Doch auch in den Versionen der Vulgata findet es sich dann ab dem 8. Jahrhundert. (Siehe Houghton, H. A. G. (2016). The Latin New Testament: a guide to its early history, texts, and manuscripts. Oxford: Oxford University Press. pp. 178–179; Metzger, Bruce M.; Ehrman, Bart D. (2005). The text of the New Testament: its transmission, corruption, and restoration (4 ed.). New York: Oxford University Press. pp. 146–148, Wikipedia)
Hier ein Beispiel aus dem 9. Jahrhundert:
Codex Sangallensis 63 (9. Jahrhundert), johanneisches Komma am Ende: tre[s] sunt pat[er] & uerbu[m] & sps [=spiritus] scs [=sanctus] & tres unum sunt. Übersetzung: „Drei sind der Vater und das Wort und der Heilige Geist und die drei sind eins“. Der ursprüngliche Codex enthielt das Comma Johanneum (in 1 Johannes 5,7) nicht, sondern wurde von einer späteren Hand am Rand hinzugefügt.[12]
Damit ist der Weg in die katholischen Bibel klar. Aber wie kam er in protestantische Bibeln? „Vom 16. bis zum späten 19. Jahrhundert fand sich das Comma Johanneum in den meisten wichtigen Bibelausgaben; im Laufe des 20. Jahrhunderts verschwand es zunehmend. Erasmus von Rotterdam hatte das Comma 1516 zunächst nicht in seine Ausgabe des griechischen Neuen Testaments. Erst 1522 fügte er es in die dritte Auflage ein, auch gestützt auf die Minuskel 61 aus dem frühen 16. Jahrhundert.“ (Wikipedia) Warum wurde dieser Teill dann wieder entfernt? „Eine andere zentrale Erkenntnis war, dass die Minuskel 61 eigens gefälscht worden war, um Erasmus zu täuschen.“ (Wikipedia) Heute kennen wir also sogar die Geschichte und Gründe für diese Fälschung.
Erasmus bemerkte zu seinen ersten beiden Auflagen, dass er in den ihm zur Vergügung stehenen griechischen Manuskripten diesen Teil der Verse einfach nicht finden konnte. Und das stimmt. Hier ein Beispiel:
Auszug aus dem Codex Sinaiticus mit 1 Johannes 5,7-9. Es fehlt das johanneische Komma. Der rot gefärbte Text sagt: „Es gibt drei Zeugen, den Geist und das Wasser und das Blut“.
Das hat ihm mächtig viel Ärger und Widerstand von seiten der Kirche und Theologen eingebracht. [Siehe Bart D. Ehrman Misquoting Jesus: The Story Behind Who Changed the Bibel and Why] Deswegen wurde er von Theologen seiner Zeit angegriffen, er würde versuchen, den heiligen Text zu manipulieren, um die Lehre der Trinität zu eliminieren! Schließlich akzeptierte er unter Druck, dass er den Text aufnehmen würden, wenn man ihm ein griechisches Manuskript zeigen würde, der das Comman Johanneium enthält. Und das lieferte man ihm. Und er nahm es in der dritten Auflage mit auf. Nur, dass dieses Manuskript eine Fälschung war, die extra zu diesem Zweck hergestellt worden war.
Damit möchten wir dieses Thema vielleicht schon als erledigt betrachten. Das wäre aber verfrüht, denn im Zusammenhang mit dem Kanon der christlichen Schriften können wir uns zwar glücklich schätzen, dass diese Fälschung wieder eleminiert wurde.
Was war aber mit aufrichtigen Christen in den über 1000 Jahren, in denen dieser Text in ‚ihrer Bibel‘ stand? Darunter befanden sich ja gerade bewundernswerte Christen, welche für die Übersetzung der Bibel persönliche Schwierigkeiten bis zur Ermordung auf sich nahmen.
Es ist eine – wenn auch vielleicht schmerzliche – Tatsache, dass Gott und Jesus als Haupt der Versammlung es zuließen, dass über Jahrhunderte selbst der aufrichtigste Jünger Jesu in 1. Johannes 5:7-8 nur einen verfälschten Text der Bibel zur Verfügung hatte.
Und bedenken wir, dass es hier nicht um eine Nebensächlichkeit geht, sondern die zentrale Lehre über den Vater, Sohn und heiligen Geist. Über diese Fragen wurde in den ersten Jahrhunderten der Christi lange und heftige Diskussionen geführt und ganze Glaubensgemeinschaften exkommuniziert, verfolgt und getötet. Und viele Christen definieren Christentum sogar darüber, dass man die Lehre der Trinität akzeptiert.
Die Behauptung, dass der komplette Text der Bibel von Gott und Jesus so bewahrt wurde, dass alles so wie ursprünglich überliefert wurde, hat sich schon mit diesem einen Beispiel als haltlos erwiesen. Behauptet jemand, dass die Bibel selbst diese Aussage macht, schadet er der Bibel, obwohl es eine menschliche Aussage ist. Der Wunsch ist der Vater des Gedanken.
Selbst wenn diese Behauptung, dass Gott und Jesus dafür gesorgt haben, dass der Text der Bibel uns heute vollständig korrekt zur Verfügung steht, richtig wäre, bliebe weiterhin die Tatsache, dass sie das über viele Jahrhunderte nicht für nötig hielten. Wäre das nicht lieblos gegenüber den Christen in dieser Zeit? Wie man sieht, fällt so eine überzogene Behauptung nicht auf die Person zurück, die sie äußert, sondern wird Gott und Jesus zur Last gelegt. Mehr noch: Es wäre doch von beiden ziemlich gemein, zuzulassen, dass ausgerechnet jemand wie Erasmus von Rotterdam, der aufrichtig versuchte, den überlieferten Text von Fehlern zu bereinigen, damit er in die Muttersprachen auch der einfachen Leute übersetzt werden kann, mit einer gefälschten Minuskel betrogen wurde, um dann erst Jahrhunderte später nach seinem Tod diesen Betrug wieder rückgängig zu machen.
Durch die Funde und Verfügbarkeit immer weiterer alter Manuskripte in Griechisch, Aramäisch, Latein und anderen Sprachen sind noch viele weitere verfälschte Schrifttexte und Passagen zu Tage getreten (siehe diese Foren-Artikel). Dabei zeigt sich, dass die Situation nicht einfach ist. Es ist keine simple ‚wahr oder falsch‘–Entscheidung. Vielmehr geht es darum, wie sehr wir manchen Texten vertrauen können – oder eben auch nicht. Insgesamt ein spannendes Thema, das weitere Teile dieser Serie verdient. Andererseits sind solche Abweichungen ja nicht für die Mehrheit der Texte nachgewiesen. Auf die Unterschiede zwischen den Manuskripten kommen wir aber bald noch zu sprechen.
Dass also Gott und Jesus nicht dafür gesorgt hat, dass der biblische Text ohne Fehler oder Fälschungen erhalten wurde, müssen wir bei unserer Sichtweise des Kanons berücksichtigen. Nicht nur, wenn es um die Verlässlichkeit eines einzelnen Verses geht. Sondern auch, wenn es um unsere Sichtweise bezüglich des Kanons geht – der Bibel, wie wir sie heute haben. Stülpen wir der Bibel keine überzogenen Behauptungen über, welche sie selbst so gar nicht aufstellt.
Mit den richtigen Annahmen hingegen müssen wir auch vor neuen Fakten keine Angst haben. Fakten gefährden dann unser Glaubensgebäude nicht, sondern stärken das Fundament. Schon an diesem einen, wenn auch außerordentlich wichtigen Beispiel können wir nun beweisen, dass auch die Behauptung, dass jeder ‚Satz‘ genau so erhalten wurde, durch die Fakten wiederlegt wird.
„Die Bibel ist Gottes Wort, die heilige Schrift, vollständig von Gott inspiriert und enthält damit exakt das, was Gott wollte. Sie ist uns genau so bis heute erhalten geblieben, wie die Bibel das selbst sagt, jedes Buch, Absatz, Satz, Wort, Komma und Punkt.“
Wir werden in den nächsten beiden Folgen noch weitere Beispiele betrachten. Und warum tun wir uns das an? Wenn wir das Ausmaß der Veränderungen und Unterschiede kennen, dann kennen wir auch das, was gut erhalten ist. Wir erreichen eine fundierte und differenzierte Sicht über die Zuverlässigkeit des Textes.
In the first part (text, video) we saw how the Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses has made the book Commentary on the Letter of James disappear in the digitized world. In the many comments on the video, there was also a comment that I would like to address now.
„This can not be the reason“
One of the comments was: that Edward Dunlap was the author of the book who was expelled for ‚apostasy‘ and the book disappeared because of that, that can’t be the reason.
Therefore, I checked all the years since 1970 to see if there were any other books that were not included in the online library. Of course, at some point the books are no longer reprinted. Some time ago there was even a letter (i.e. instruction) from the Governing Body to the elders to destroy stocks of older literature.
But the other books since 1970 are all in the online library. So, part of the ’spiritual heritage‘ so to speak. Now everyone can draw his own conclusions from this.
The 1988 Revelation book was not available online for a while. In the meantime, it has entered the library as a 2006 edition. Other books are also now available online in new editions – that is, generally changed from the printed book. Some may remember the confusion in meetings when some used the printed books, others used the printed corrections, and then later used the constantly updated edition in the JW Library. I once made the joke as Watchtower study leader that I hoped no update of the article was available during Watchtower study …
And finally, there are the books that were regularly replaced. The books for Bible studies, for example. But also the Organized Books (or previously booklets and book appendices) – with sometimes significant changes in the text.
But a completely different question had occurred to me….
Does the organization still use the Bible book of James at all?
This question came to me as I reflected on the last few years. Could I remember that James was quoted from at all? If you are or were a Jehovah’s Witness, can you remember being quoted from James?
I didn’t want to rely on a vague memory or a feeling. Well, the analyst in me came through. And now you have to go through with it. But don’t worry, I’m just presenting the results.
How many times was James quoted?
So I analyzed the literature index in the German index from 1945-1985 and 1986-2022. The English index still goes back to 1930, but that makes no difference here. First, let’s see if the numbers are correct. James has 5 chapters and 108 verses. How often do you think it is quoted per year? And I apologize for the German titles in the graphics. (The original article I had written in my native language German).
In fact, this number of 108 version is even exceeded in 1979. In that year, the commentary on the Letter of James was published, which deals with all the verses. So this fits.
In 1997 there are still 102 quotations. In three study articles of the Watchtower w97 15.11. the complete Letter of James is treated. A few pages instead of a whole book. Oh well. Let’s have a look at the conclusion.
Wie beginnt Absatz 22?
Clearly, the letter of James contains something beneficial for all of us.
w97 11/15. p 24 par. 22
Then actually also diligently from this book should be quoted, right? But that is not the case in most of the last 80 years. How does the Governing Body summarize the consideration of the Book of James?
True, the letter of James was originally sent to anointed early Christians. Yet, all of us should let its counsel help us cling to our faith. James’ words can bolster faith that moves us to decisive action in God’s service. And this divinely inspired letter builds an enduring faith that makes us patient, prayerful Witnesses of Jehovah today, during “the presence of the Lord” Jesus Christ.
w97 11/15. p 24 par. 23
The paragraph begins with „It is true …“, but at the end I wondered: Is any of what the Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses had written in this paragraph true? Remember, this was read to every Witness in Watchtower studies worldwide at that time!
No, it is not true that the letter of James was written to one group of Christians in the first century, but today it also applies to the vast majority of witnesses, the so-called ‚other sheep‘. For the doctrine of heavenly and earthly hope, ‚anointed remnant‘ and ‚other sheep‘ comes not from the Bible but from the pen of J.F. Rutherford. (See, for example, the video Identifying True Worship, Part 8: Jehovah’s Witnesses‘ Teaching on the ‚Other Sheep‘).
And wasn’t it exactly this point why two years after the publication of the Commentary on the Letter of James in the Watchtower 1981 ‚Questions from Readers‘ a retraction was published (w81 4/15 p. 31), with the content that this teaching still applies? There, the term ‚anointed Christians‘ was subsequently introduced into the text of the book in order to adapt the book to the teaching. That was surely also a reason, beside the community withdrawal of its author, why the James book fell into disfavor.
There will soon also be a video on the term ‚anointed Christians‘. You probably already suspect that there is something wrong with it too.
Of course, the ‚reference‘ to „decisive action in the service of God“ must not be missing. So the usual subtle pressure to perform that was constantly exerted. Where in James does it say anything about „acting decisively in service to God“, which every witness will associate with the preaching ministry? What does James really say? James 1:27 according to the New World Translation of Jehovah’s Witnesses, „The form of worship [Fn. religion] that is clean and undefiled from the standpoint of our God and Father is this: to look after orphans and widows in their tribulation, and to keep oneself without spot from the world.“ And this is a text that is often used, as we shall see in a moment.
That this is immediately followed by the reference to „today, during the „presence of the Lord“ Jesus Christ“ is also a recurring pattern. It establishes and increases the ’sense of urgency‘, because there is not much time left for „decisive action in the service of God“. Except that the Bible book of James does not say that „today“ – some 25 years ago – Jesus is invisibly present. Another central doctrine that the Governing Body holds to ironcladly, even though it does not stand up to the facts (see Identifying True Worship, Part 5: 1914 – A Review of Jehovah’s Witnesses‘ Doctrine and the book The Times of the Gentiles Reconsidered).
And why does that make one a „prayerful Jehovah’s Witness“? Where is that supposed to be in James?
I also noticed the word „patient“. Not only because the motto of the 2023 Assembly of Jehovah’s Witnesses is „Practice Patience.“ The congress begins with: PRESIDENT’S LECTURE: Exercise patience – why? (James 5:7, 8; Colossians 1:9-11; 3:12) And indeed James is quoted. But what do we read there? James 5:7 “ Be patient therefore, brethren, until the coming of the Lord!“ (Elberfelder). Until the coming of the Lord! But according to the teachings of the Governing Body, the Lord has already been present since 1914! So this hint of James has been settled, hasn’t it? But the Watchtower is already a quarter of a century old.
And did you notice that in the summary last two paragraphs, not even one statement is backed up with a reference to a biblical text?
But actually I wanted to focus on the use of the Bible book of James and just take a quick look at the Watchtower article … .
The 59 references in 1990 lead mostly to the two volumes of Insights on the Scriptures. In 1962, there were few articles in the Watchtower and Awake in which James was considered. James, however, seemed to be quite fond of quoting during this period. Likewise in the years before 1979, the publication of the vanished book.
About 10 references in 20 years only! Most of them in the book Come closer to Jehovah and the Organized book (od). Not until 2021 in Happy – Forever. An interactive Bible course James is used again. Before that, not at all for many years. My impression is that in the last quarter century James no longer played a role for the Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses. And that I could not remember the use of it, so it was true.
Which verses are quoted frequently, and which are not quoted at all?
In a book like the Commentary on the Epistle of James, every verse was looked at. Even the 3 articles in the Watchtower 1997 15.11. somehow manage to refer to almost all verses. But how else were the individual verses from James used in the literature of Jehovah’s Witnesses?
At first glance, a few verses stand out. There are a few verses that are used much more frequently than others. There is some methodology behind this that we will see when we look at these verses in a moment. A verse that appears in this chart with only 2 uses has never otherwise been used in 80 years except in the Commentary on the Letter of James and the one Watchtower in 1997!
So let’s first take a look at some of the most cited texts. Please do not cheat yet. Try to remember, if you are or were a Jehovah’s Witness, which texts come to your mind.
The most quoted verses
As you can see, a whole 3 verses are used very frequently, and then it decreases steeply.
James 1:27
The form of worship [Fn. religion] that is clean and undefiled from the standpoint of our God and Father is this: to look after orphans and widows in their tribulation, and to keep oneself without spot from the world.
James 1:27 NWT 2013
This text is used quite often because of the last part: Keep separate from the evil world, no close association with worldly people. But what do you think James meant when he spoke of „looking after orphans and widows in their distress“? Probably this:
What if certain older ones cannot attend Christian meetings? James 1:27 shows that it is our duty “to look after orphans and widows in their tribulation.” One meaning of the Greek verb translated “to look after” is “to visit.” (Acts 15:36) And how the elderly appreciate our visits!
w04 5/15. p. 19 par. 17
Were there not collections of donations in the first century to support the impoverished brothers and sisters? Wasn’t that the second main task given to Paul? And what does the organization of Jehovah’s Witnesses not carry out today, forbidding elders to do so officially as a congregation? Now, if anyone thinks of the relief efforts during disasters, they should take a close look at where these things come from. And to whom the reimbursements from insurance companies are supposed to flow later …
James 4:4
Adulteresses, [Fn. Or “You unfaithful ones.”] do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever, therefore, wants to be a friend of the world is making himself an enemy of God
Jakobus 4:4 NWÜ
„Not to be a friend of the world.“ This is quoted as often as James 1:27. And in the sense of: Have no friends in the world. Otherwise you are an enemy of God. Is ‚world‘ in this text about people at all? Or something else? „Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them.“ (1. John 2:15 NIV)
By the way: It is also not surprising that in German the feminine of the Greek is gladly left here, and not the masculine of the Latin translation. But that is another topic.
James 5:14
Is there anyone sick among you? Let him call the elders of the congregation to him, and let them pray over him, applying oil to him in the name of Jehovah.
James 5:14 NWT
This text must not be missing in any judicial committee. And that is why it is quoted so often. For example, in the online Bible course of 2021:
Jehovah wants us to call the elders of the congregation to us when we have committed a serious sin. (Read James 5:14, 15.)
Happy – forever. An interactive Bible course p. 237 (German)
Does James then speak in 5:14 of the person having committed a sin? So a ’serious sin‘ as it says in the text but not in the Bible. The context is James 5:13-15 and ends like this, „Also, if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven“ (James 5:15 NWT) We should always read the context and read carefully what is written.
James 1:5
So if any one of you is lacking in wisdom, let him keep asking God, for he gives generously to all and without reproaching, and it will be given him.
James 1:5 NWT
People like to quote that in relation to all kinds of things. But in context, it’s about a particular situation. This was still well explained in the book of James: „The wisdom Christians ask for is the wisdom to live in such a way as to please God in every area of their lives, especially under trials.“
James 3:17
But the wisdom from above is first of all pure, then peaceable, reasonable, ready to obey, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial, not hypocritical.
James 3:17 NWT
This text contains so many valuable thoughts that it may well be used frequently. One example:
14“Ready to obey.” The Greek word rendered “ready to obey” is not found elsewhere in the Christian Greek Scriptures. According to one scholar, this word “is often used of military discipline.” It conveys the idea of “easy to be persuaded” and “submissive.” One who is governed by the wisdom from above readily submits to what the Scriptures say. He is not known as one who makes up his mind and then refuses to be influenced by any facts that contradict him. Rather, he is quick to change when he is presented with clear Scriptural evidence that he has taken a wrong stand or has drawn erroneous conclusions. Is that how you are known by others?
Draw Close to Jehovah p. 224 par. 14
A word that occurs only once in the Bible – then the interpretation is often difficult. But it’s actually a nice quote for those Jehovah’s Witnesses who don’t want to engage in a conversation based on the Bible.
James 5:16
Therefore, openly confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. A righteous man’s supplication has a powerful effect.
James 5:16 NWT
Often cited for the idea of praying for each other. But also like this:
So, then, when is it appropriate for Christians to confess sins to one another? In the case of serious sin (not every little failing), an individual should confess to responsible overseers of the congregation. Even if a sin is not grievous but the sinner’s conscience troubles him excessively, there is great value in confessing and seeking spiritual help.
w91 3/15 p. 6-7
Would you say that this thought comes from James 5:16 in the sense of exegesis? Or was something eisegetically interpreted into it?
Verses that are almost never quoted
Of course, Bible texts that are never or almost never quoted are also interesting. Are they perhaps not so important? Perhaps only greetings to Christians in the 1st century? But they could also be interesting texts, which the organization prefers not to see mentioned.
The least quoted verses are these:
James 3:12 Is only found once in the James book and Watchtower 1960. Context is James 3:8 ‚tongue‘.
James 2:11 example of v10, only in James book and w97 summary.
James 2:6 „YOU, though, have dishonored the poor [man]. The rich oppress YOU, and they drag YOU before law courts, do they not?“ Only in the book of James and w97 and g62. Reminds one already that the various bodies of the organization are increasingly suing publishers, so-called apostates and others for statements or copyright violations.
James 1:16 „Do not be misled, my beloved brothers.“ Only in the book Commentary James is the beautiful statement found.
James 4:9,10 „Give way to misery and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned into mourning, and your joy into despair. Humble yourselves in the eyes of Jehovah, and he will exalt you.“ Probably doesn’t fit the narrative that Jehovah’s Witnesses are the happiest people in the world.(With the best life ever …)
James 5:4, 5 „Look! The wages due the workers who harvested YOUR fields but which are held up by YOU, keep crying out, and the calls for help on the part of the reapers have entered into the ears of Jehovah of armies. YOU have lived in luxury upon the earth and have gone in for sensual pleasure. [Fn. Lit., “you behaved voluptuously.”]“ How many Jehovah’s Witnesses live in very humble circumstances because they gave up ‚higher education‘ from training so close to the end, were in full-time service or Bethel for a long time, and then were turned out a few years ago at an advanced age? What would James have said if, on the other hand, he looked at pictures of the new world headquarters in Warwick, for example, or saw on the videos the Governing Body with gold rings, expensive watches, etc.?
There are then also a few very rarely used texts that would have really led to discussions.
They blaspheme the fine name by which YOU were called, do they not?
James 2:7 NWT
That could well have led to confusion. For which name is meant here? Jehovah? 1 Peter 4:14 „If YOU are being reproached for the name of Christ, YOU are happy, because the [spirit] of glory, even the spirit of God, is resting upon YOU.“ (Also NWT!). Which also fits with baptism in the name of Christ.
Nevertheless, a certain one will say: “You have faith, and I have works. Show me your faith apart from the works, and I shall show you my faith by my works.”
James 2:18 NWT
Amazing that this verse was only used here (German versions): w97 15. 11. 15; cj 80-3; w74 1. 4. 212-13 Faith without works is dead; g62 22. 1. 3 Perhaps it is because of the second part: „I shall show you my faith by my works.“ This would almost be a challenge to check the activities of a Jehovah’s Witness. But maybe only one of the texts on the subject of works was chosen over and over again.
For, if a man with gold rings on his fingers and in splendid clothing enters into a gathering of YOU, but a poor [man] in filthy clothing also enters, …
James 2:2 NWT
A man with gold rings on his fingers …. Well, one or the other gold ring or expensive watch has been seen on JW Broadcasting ….
Other hardly quoted texts
My brothers, if anyone among YOU is misled from the truth and another turns him back, know that he who turns a sinner back from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.
James 5:19,20 NWT
Verse 19 was quoted only here (German versions): w97 15. 11. 24 cj 214-16 w72 1. 11. 658 or 159 w61 1. 8. 464 w51 1. 7. 203
What if a member of the congregation is “misled from the truth,” deviating from right teaching and conduct? We may be able to turn him back from his error through Bible counsel, prayer, and other help.
w97 11/15 p.24 par. 21 English version
This seems to contradict the current policy of exclusion and avoidance. So the text is ignored.
Was not Abraham our father declared righteous by works after he had offered up Isaac his son upon the altar?
James 2:21 NWT
Probably this text was practically not used because Abraham is called ‚our father‘ (‚our ancestor‘ NLT) there. In the Insights book (it-1 p. 1253), therefore, Galatians 3:29 is used to justify that James is not addressing Jews here, but all. Otherwise the text is simply not quoted.
My brothers, YOU are not holding the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, our glory, with acts of favoritism, are YOU?
James 2:1 NWT
Let’s compare this with a representative other translation:
My brothers, as you hold out your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, do not show favoritism.
James 2:1 Berean Standard Bible
All translations I have checked (German, English, interlinear) speak of our faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. Except for the old King James Version. The emphasis on faith – not in Jehovah – but in Jesus, who is also referred to as our Lord of Glory, has not fit into the Governing Body’s program for decades. So this text is also ignored. Otherwise, one could get confused even with these rarely quoted texts:
That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord.
James 1:7 NIV
Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.”
James 4:15 NIV
In both texts, by the way, the ‚Lord‘ in the original text is naturally replaced by ‚Jehovah‘ in the New World translation.
YOU too exercise patience; make YOUR hearts firm, because the presence of the Lord has drawn close.
James 5:8 NWT
This text was dormant for almost 25 years until it was rediscovered for the 2023 convention. Already in the Watchtower 1999 it was emphasized that patience is necessary while ‚waiting for Jehovah‘. Well actually the text is about the presence of the Lord. Whereby even in the NWT here Lord is not replaced by Jehovah. But doesn’t the text speak of having patience before the presence of the Lord? And does not the Governing Body teach that this invisible presence began in 1914? Then James must have meant the second coming (or presence), which we do not find in the Bible.
Therefore, if one knows how to do what is right and yet does not do it, it is a sin for him.
James 4:17 NWT
Not quoted for over 25 years. At that time, however, you could read:
The deeper our Scriptural knowledge is, the better is the foundation for our faith. At the same time, our accountability to God becomes greater. … After commenting on the significance of this scripture, the elder said: “Though you are not baptized, you are accountable and must take full responsibility for your decision.”
w96 9/15 p. 17 par. 5,6
Well, isn’t that true of all Jehovah’s Witnesses? The Governing Body knows that many teachings are not biblical and contradict historical facts. And many Jehovah’s Witnesses know this by now, too. What conclusion do we draw for ourselves from James 4:17?
Listen, my beloved brothers. God chose the ones who are poor respecting the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he promised to those who love him, did he not?
James 2:5 NWT
This text was only touched upon in the 1997 Watchtower’s James reflection, explained in the 1979 James book, and mentioned a whole 5 times before that. But it also shows that there is only one hope for all Christians. Interestingly, this is also formulated on p. 65 of the James book. Presumably, the book is therefore also no longer available because it makes no distinction between ‚anointed‘ and ‚other sheep‘.
We could analyze more verses here, but I think this is enough for now to draw some conclusions.
Summary
What did our analysis reveal?
Of the Watchtower Society books published since 1970, all can be found in the Online Library. With the exception of the Organized Book, which has been replaced by the Organization Book. And just the Commentary on the Letter of James.
The Bible book James is used relatively little. Frequently only in 1979, when the Commentary on the Letter of James appeared. And in 1997, when in the Watchtower w97 15.11 the complete letter of James was treated in only three articles. In 1990 there are still some references in the two volumes of the Insights book.
For about 25 years, James is practically no longer quoted. About 10 references only. Most in the book Draw Close to Jehovah and the Organized book (od). Not until 2021 in Enjoy Life Forever!—An Interactive Bible Course, James will be used again somewhat.
There are a handful of verses which are quoted much more frequently than any other. They are readily used as triggers to inculcate certain doctrines and guidelines. However, looking at the context of the verse, their application in the literature of the organization is often questionable.
There are very many texts which are only used in the Commentary on the Letter of James or w97 15.11. or at most a few more times. And that in over 75 years! Quite a number of them contain thoughts which do not really fit to teachings of the Governing Body. Or is it perhaps the other way around?
That the Commentary on the Letter of James is no longer available probably has another reason. Since its author Edward Dunlop was disfellowshipped for dissenting views on some doctrines as an ‚apostate‘ around 1980 is one. Printed books, however, have always continued to be sold by the organization in the field service because of the cost, even when the content was outdated. But another reason seems to be that the Commentary on the Letter of James adheres to the Bible book of James and not to the teachings of the organization. For example, on many verses it adheres to the Bible and not the teaching of ‚anointed ones‘ and ‚other sheep‘ with a different hope. On this and other points, the book is just too uncomfortable and might make some preachers think twice.
If for this reason already very many verses are practically not used in the literature of the organization, then one hardly wants to do this with a book like the Commentary on the Letter of James.
Most Kingdom Halls of Jehovah’s Witnesses and many Witnesses have them: a ‚theocratic‘ library. That is, a collection of previously published books and editions of the Watchtower and Awake. One book I liked very much and also found again in the estate of my late mother:
Commentary on the Letter of James, published in 1979 by the Watchtower Society.
But actually it is a lost book. In what way? Because unfortunately even many Jehovah’s Witnesses don’t know this book published in 1979 at all anymore! Well, it is older, but it should be easy to find in the Watchtower online library …
Watchtower Online Library Books
So in the list of books it is already once not. But we know the title. So let’s look in the index:
Watchtower Online Library Index – Book James
There are several references to a book with abbreviation cj, which can be easily interpreted as ‚Commentary James‘. But there is no link to the book. When I searched again in May 2023, I got this result. With ‚commentary on the letter of james“:
With ‚commentary james‘, we get this:
However, of the 22 results, all but 8 are in ‚Kingdom Ministry‘, which prove that this book was sold in the preaching service, for example in km 8/89 for $1.00. By the way, in Germany in the ‚Kingdom Ministry‘ December 1987 it was still stated to offer the book for DM 1.00. Only one month later, in January 1988, the ‚Kingdom Ministry‘ stated that the book could be offered for DM 2.00. So the value had doubled!
Commentary on the Letter of James sold for $1.00
Leaving out the references in the index and references in the Watchtower and Awake to the book, these results remain:
Wachtturm Online-Bibliothek Suche
No reference to the book except these? And nothing from the content of the book can be found. Maybe the ‚question from readers‘ is interesting:
w81 1/15 p.31 Questions From Readers
Nothing, except an article that tries to ’straighten out‘ one sentence from the whole book. What is supposed to be so special about this one sentence?
I still remember how all Jehovah’s Witnesses worldwide studied this book in ‚Book Study‘ meeting. The next picture, however, does not show my book, in which, of course, I also diligently underlined. The book is from my late mother, whom I can praise posthumously: She too had prepared well and underlined exactly the right answer to the question on Section 27:
Commentary on the Letter of James (German) p. 49Commentary on the Letter of James (English) p. 47/48
And in the ‚Watchtower Online Library‘ there is nothing, except an article that tries to ’straighten out‘ this one sentence from the whole book. What should be so special about this one sentence?
„Besides being the God of Christians, Jehovah is also their Father, for he has begotten them by means of his spirit to be his sons.“
Commentary on the Letter of James (English) p. 47
The further text of the Watchtower article shows what explosive power this one, small sentence probably had:
Does this mean that all dedicated and baptized Christians have been begotten by God’s holy spirit to be his sons?
No, this is not the thought that should be gathered from this, as though we now had a change of understanding in this matter. Such a change would nullify the Scriptural teaching as to two separate destinies for those gaining salvation, a heavenly one and an earthly one.
Watchtower 1981 15/1 p. 31 Questions from Readers
And there even a tiny change is proposed, which would have ‚fixed‘ everything:
To avoid ambiguity, the Commentary could have inserted the word “anointed” in this sentence on the bottom of page 47. Thus it could have read: “Besides being the God of anointed Christians, Jehovah is also their Father, for he has begotten them by means of his spirit to be his sons.” Then the question on page 57 on this portion could have read: “How is God also the Father of anointed Christians?”
Watchtower 1981 15/1 p. 31 Questions from Readers
On the subject of ‚anointed Christians,‘ I address this article, „Should We (Be) Called Christians or Anointed?“ (to be translated to English yet)
Also, the old Ezekiel book from 1971 (Know Jehovah kj) is still available online, as is the new Ezekiel book from 2018 (Pure Worship rr). In the German index, they are even right next to each other!
Is the reason for the disappearance of the book of James perhaps that there have been too many changes? Why then was the book of Ezekiel rewritten after almost 50 years? I quote from the 2018 book:
Additionally, in the decades since 1971, our understanding of many Bible truths has been greatly enhanced as the light has continued to grow brighter. (Prov. 4:18) In 1985 we started to see clearly how the “other sheep” are declared righteous as friends of God. (John 10:16; Rom. 5:18; Jas. 2:23) Then in 1995 we understood for the first time that the final judging of “the sheep” and “the goats” would take place during the coming “great tribulation.” (Matt. 24:21; 25:31, 32) All these adjustments have had an impact on our understanding of the book of Ezekiel. In recent years, the light has continued to grow brighter still. Consider the lessons learned from Jesus’ illustrations. Many of those lessons have now become crystal clear in our minds and hearts. A number of those illustrations refer to events that will soon take place during the fast-approaching great tribulation. In a similar way, our understanding of certain prophecies found in the book of Ezekiel has been clarified. Included among these are the prophecies concerning Gog of Magog (chapters 38 and 39), the work of the man with the secretary’s inkhorn (chapter 9), and the valley of dry bones and the symbolic joining of the two sticks (chapter 37). All these clarifications likewise update what was written years ago in the ‘Know Jehovah’ book.
Pure Worship 2018, Pure Worship of Jehovah—Restored At Last! p. 2 chapter „A Letter From the Governing Body“
If you compare the two books, you can’t help but wonder what is left of the old book. So the Governing Body had decided to have a new interpretation of the Bible book Ezekiel written.
Why wasn’t this done with the book Commentary James as well? I can’t really remember anything from the book that would have been changed by ’new light‘.
The reason lies somewhere else. If you search for Edward Dunlap in the Watchtower library, you will still find him. Jehovah’s Witness sources still show that he had important functions in the Jehovah’s Witness organization:
Watchtower Library: Search result ‚Edward Dunlap‘
I remember finding even more about him there at one time. He was the registrar of the Gilead School for over 10 years and gave lectures at their graduation ceremonies. What you don’t find is that he was the author of the book Commentary on the Letter of James. That is found in Raymound Franz’s book Conflict of Conscience. And there you find the reason for it all: around 1980 he was branded and excluded with others in an incredibly un-Christian way as an ‚apostate‘. And any memory of him should probably be erased. Much like what is happening now with Anthony Morris III on Jehovah’s Witness websites since he is no longer a member of the Governing Body. But that is another topic.
However, it is difficult to understand why the book is then also banned from the online library. Because before such a book is published by Jehovah’s Witnesses at an assembly in large numbers and is later also studied in the ‚book study‘ meeting, it must have been proofread by very, very many. Also by the Governing Body and its committees. And with the publication by the Governing Body, it was the ’new light‘ of the ‚current truth‘. Or was it not? Either the content is correct, or it is not. Otherwise, the Governing Body would have actively distributed false teachings as ’spiritual food‘.
Maybe there is still one or the other copy in the Kingdom Halls of Jehovah’s Witnesses or private libraries. For those who know English it is easier: You can still download the English edition of the book at watchtowerwayback.org.
In the last two episodes, we have already deleted two parts from the assertion from the first part of the series:
„The Bible is God’s Word, the Holy Scriptures, fully inspired by God and thus containing exactly what God intended. It has been preserved for us to this day exactly as the Bible itself says so, every book, paragraph, sentence, word, comma and period.“
Neither does God assure us through the New Testament that the letters and other texts would be preserved unaltered, nor are all the letters included in the canon. Does this mean that the New Testament is useless in our Bible? No. That would be a false, hasty conclusion. The point is to recognize what God has promised us and not what we would like to have. Hasn’t God even helped many people who had no scriptures at all? How was it with Hennoch, Noah, Melchizedek and Abraham? So we can approach this subject in a relaxed way.
However, some insist that even the words, phrases, periods and commas are exactly as God wants them. Some even go so far as to say that the text of the old King James translation is inspired. Well, that’s another issue we’ll get into later.
But what about the words and sentences, periods and commas. Did God form these and put them into the minds of the scribes? Or dictated them in a vision? Did they sit down and think: Now I will write a Bible book? What do the oldest copies of the autographs look like? Let’s have a look at pictures of the oldest manuscripts, more precisely fragments:
𝔓52 is the oldest known manuscript fragment of the New Testament, which contains part of the Gospel of John𝔓1 is a fragment of the Gospel of Matthew from the early third century.𝔓46 is the earliest (almost) complete manuscript of the Pauline letters of the New Testament.𝔓45 is a manuscript of the Gospels and Acts. It contains the earliest known text of Mark. Scholars find it difficult to read because of its fragmentary state.Codex Sinaiticus (ca. 350) contains the oldest complete copy of the New Testament as well as most of the Greek Old Testament, known as the Septuagint The Codex Vaticanus Graecus 1209 is one of the best available Greek manuscripts of almost the entire Bible.
Apart from the fact that the letters of the Greek alphabet are used. What stands out immediately? No comma, no period, no punctuation marks at all! But even worse: Not even paragraphs between sentences. Not even between words! Let’s look again at 𝔓46 or the other manuscripts. A chain of letters! Where are words and sentences? The answer is: the words and sentences – as well as pronunciation and partly vowels – had to be put correctly by the reader!
This reminds me of a brief example in Latin that I learned – at least I imagine I did – in class. As far as I remember, Caesar is supposed to have sent this message:
Pardon No execution
Three words. What do they mean? The punctuation mark is missing in English! But in Latin there was no punctuation mark either. As well as in Greek. So what does it mean? „Pardon no, execution“ or „pardon, no execution“? Just terrible when your life depends on a comma. Am I exaggerating now? Well, let’s look at two different translations of the Bible:
And he said to him: “Truly I tell you today,* You will be with me in Paradise.”
Luke 23:43 New World Translation
And Jesus said to him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”
Luke 23:43 BSB
The punctuation mark ‚:‘ did not exist in Greek. The translators have inserted it. Interestingly, at least the older New World Translation notes in the footnote that there was no comma in the uncial manuscripts. However, the sense seems to be completely different. Much like the example I gave, which is supposedly from Caesar. In fact, with this text, you have to think much more and look at the context and the language at the time to better understand the text. As an aside: Eric Wilson also had an interesting explanation about this in a video once.
The fact is: dot, comma, dash – forget it, because these did not exist in the languages in which the autographs and copies were written.
And even paragraphs or chapter and verse divisions did not exist, as we have seen in the illustrations. Is that also a problem? Our chapters and verses were introduced at the earliest within the 13th century (Wikipedia). The purpose was to divide the text into verses and chapters of roughly equal length. But in English, paragraphs serve to separate a thought. A paragraph, or a new verse or even chapter, therefore suggests to us a new thought. Think about it: how often, when a text was quoted, did you read the text before it, or even in the chapter before it? Example:
As Jesus looked up, he saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. “Truly I tell you,” he said, “this poor widow has put in more than all the others.
Luke 21:1-3 NIV
Isn’t this a beautiful text describing the widow’s sacrifice? But this is the beginning of the chapter. Who would possibly read the chapter before when the text is quoted? We are doing that now:
While all the people were listening, Jesus said to his disciples, “Beware of the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will be punished most severely.”
Luke 20:45-47 NIV
This is the text directly before it. There is no chapter division in the manuscripts. Now how do you feel about the account of the poor widow in Luke 21:1-3? Does a paragraph or new chapter make a difference here? There are other examples, but anyone can find them for themselves if you pay attention from now on, and also read the context at every paragraph change or new chapter.
Let us summarize what the facts have taught us. There were no punctuation marks, paragraphs and verse divisions in the languages of the autographs and copies. With this, we delete another part of the assertion:
„The Bible is God’s Word, the Holy Scriptures, fully inspired by God and thus containing exactly what God intended. It has been preserved for us to this day exactly as the Bible itself says so, every book, paragraph, sentence, word, comma and period.“
So, if someone wants to argue with us about the interpretation of the text because of a punctuation mark or paragraph, we should remember that they were inserted by the translators. And turn to the languages in which the manuscripts were written.
In den letzten beiden Folgen haben wir schon zwei Teile aus der Behauptung aus dem ersten Teil der Serie gestrichen:
„Die Bibel ist Gottes Wort, die heilige Schrift, vollständig von Gott inspiriert und enthält damit exakt das, was Gott wollte. Sie ist uns genau so bis heute erhalten geblieben, wie die Bibel das selbst sagt, jedes Buch, Absatz, Satz, Wort, Komma und Punkt.“
Weder sichert uns Gott durch das Neue Testament zu, dass die Briefe und anderen Texte unverfälscht erhalten bleiben würden, noch sind alle Briefe im Kanon enthalten. Bedeutet das, dass das Neue Testament in unserer Bibel nutzlos ist? Nein. Das wäre eine falsche, voreilige Schlußfolgerung. Es geht darum, zu erkennen, was Gott uns zugesagt hat und nicht, was wir gerne hätten. Hat Gott nicht sogar vielen Menschen geholfen, die überhaupt keine Schriften hatten? Wie war es denn bei Hennoch, Noah, Melchizedek und Abraham? Wir können dieses Thema also ganz entspannt angehen.
Allerdings beharren einige darauf, dass sogar die Wörter, Sätze, Punkt und Komma genau so sind, wie Gott das möchte. Einige gehen sogar soweit, dass der Text der alten King James Übersetzung inspiriert ist. Nun, das ist noch ein anderes Thema, auf das wir später eingehen werden.
Aber wie ist das mit den Wörtern und Sätzen, Punkt und Komma. Hat Gott diese geformt und in den Geist der Schreiber gegeben? Oder in einer Vision diktiert? Haben diese sich hingesetzt und gedacht: Jetzt schreibe ich ein Bibelbuch? Wie sehen denn die ältesten Kopien der Autographen aus? Schauen wir uns einmal Bilder der ältesten Manuskripte, genauer gesagt Fragmente, an:
𝔓52 ist das älteste bekannte Manuskriptfragment des Neuen Testaments, das einen Teil des Johannes Evangeliums enthält𝔓1 ist ein Fragment des Matthäus-Evangeliums aus dem frühen dritten Jahrhundert.𝔓46 ist das früheste (fast) vollständige Manuskript der Paulusbriefe des Neuen Testaments.𝔓45 ist ein Manuskript der Evangelien und der Apostelgeschichte. Es enthält den frühesten bekannten Text von Markus. Gelehrte finden es wegen seines fragmentarischen Zustands schwer zu lesen.Der Codex Sinaiticus (ca. 350) enthält die älteste vollständige Abschrift des Neuen Testaments sowie den größten Teil des griechischen Alten Testaments, bekannt als Septuaginta Der Codex Vaticanus Graecus 1209 ist eine der besten verfügbaren griechischen Handschriften fast der gesamten Bibel.
Einmal abgesehen davon, dass die Buchstaben des griechischen Alphabets verwendet werden. Was fällt sofort auf? Kein Komma, kein Punkt, überhaupt keine Satzzeichen. Schlimmer noch. Nicht einmal Absätze zwischen den Sätzen. Sogar nicht einmal zwischen Wörtern! Schauen wir uns noch einmal 𝔓46 oder die anderen Manuskripte an. Eine Kette von Buchstaben! Wo sind Wörter und Sätze? Die Antwort ist: Die Wörter und Sätze – sowie Aussprache und zum Teil auch Vokale – musste der Leser richtig einsetzen!
Das erinnert mich an ein kurzes Beispiel in Latein, das ich – ich bilde es mir zumindest ein – im Unterricht kennen gelernt habe. Soweit ich mich erinnere, soll angeblich Cäsar diese Nachricht geschickt haben:
Begnadigung Keine Hinrichtung
Drei Wörter. Was bedeuten diese? Es fehlt das Satzzeichen im Deutschen! Aber in Latein gab es das auch nicht. Wie auch im Griechischen. Also was bedeutet es? „Begnadigung keine, Hinrichtung“ oder „Begnadigung, keine Hinrichtung“? Einfach schrecklich, wenn das Leben von einem Komma abhängt. Übertreibe ich jetzt? Nun, betrachten wir einmal zwei verschiedene Übersetzungen der Bibel:
Und er sprach zu ihm: „Wahrlich, ich sage dir heute:Du wirst mit mir im Paradies sein.“
Lukas 23:43 Neue-Welt-Übersetzung
Und er sprach zu ihm: „Wahrlich, ich sage dir: Heute wirst du mit mir im Paradies sein.“
Lukas 23:43 Elberfelder
Das Satzzeichen ‚:‘ gab es im Griechischen nicht. Die Übersetzer haben es eingefügt. In der älteren Ausgabe der Neue-Welt-Übersetzung gab es zumindest noch diese Fußnote: „Wenn auch WH, Nestle-Aland u. UBS im gr. Text ein Komma vor das Wort „heute“ setzen, wurden doch in gr. Unzialhss. keine Kommas verwendet.“ Der Sinn scheint jedoch völlig anders zu sein. Ganz wie im Beispiel, das ich angeführt hatte, und angeblich von Cäsar stammt. Tatsächlich muss man sich bei diesem Text viel mehr Gedanken machen und den Kontext und die Sprache damals anschauen, um den Text besser zu verstehen. Eric Wilson hatte dazu in einem Video auch einmal eine interessante Erklärung.
Tatsache ist: Punkt, Komma, Strich – können wir in der Bibel alles vergessen, weil es das in den Sprachen, in denen die Autographen und Kopien existieren, nicht gab.
Und sogar Absätze und Kapitel- sowie Vers-Einteilungen gab es nicht, wie wir in den Abbildungen gesehen haben. Ist das auch ein Problem? Unsere Kapitel und Verse wurden frühestens mit im 13. Jahrhundert eingeführt (Wikipedia). Zweck war es, den Text in etwa gleich lange Verse und Kapitel einzuteilen. Aber im Deutschen dienen Absätze dazu, einen Gedanken zu trennen. Ein Absatz, oder ein neuer Vers oder gar Kapitel suggerieren uns daher einen neuen Gedanken. Überlege einmal: Wie oft hast du, wenn ein Text zitiert wurde, den Text davor oder gar im Kapitel davor gelesen? Ein Beispiel:
Jesus blickte auf und sah, wie reiche Leute Geld in den Opferkasten warfen. Er sah auch, wie eine arme Witwe ‹zwei kleine Kupfermünzen›, zwei Lepta, hineinsteckte. Da sagte er: „Ich versichere euch, diese arme Witwe hat mehr eingelegt als alle anderen. Denn die anderen haben nur etwas von ihrem Überfluss abgegeben. Sie aber hat alles hergegeben, was sie selbst dringend zum Lebensunterhalt gebraucht hätte.“
Lukas 21:1-3 Neue Evangelistische Übersetzung
Ist das nicht ein schöner Text, der die Opferbeireitschaft der Witwe beschreibt? Aber das ist der Anfang des Kapitels. Wer würde wohl das Kapitel vorher lesen, wenn der Text zitiert wird? Wir tun das jetzt:
Vor dem ganzen versammelten Volk warnte Jesus seine Jünger: „Hütet euch vor den Gesetzeslehrern! Sie zeigen sich gern in ihren langen Gewändern und erwarten, dass man sie auf den Märkten ehrerbietig grüßt. In der Synagoge sitzen sie in der ersten Reihe, und bei Festessen beanspruchen sie die Ehrenplätze. Gleichzeitig aber verschlingen sie den Besitz schutzloser Witwen und sprechen scheinheilig lange Gebete. Darum erwartet sie ein sehr hartes Urteil.“
Lukas 20:45-47 Neue Evangelistische Übersetzung
Das ist der Text direkt davor. In den Manuskripten gibt es keine Kapitel-Einteilung. Wie denkst du jetzt über den Bericht über die arme Witwe in Lukas 21:1-3? Macht ein Absatz oder neues Kapitel hier einen Unterschied? Es gibt noch andere Beispiele, aber die kann jeder auch selbst finden, wenn er ab jetzt aufmerksam ist, und bei jedem Absatzwechsel oder neuem Kapitel auch den Kontext liest.
Fassen wir zusammen, was uns die Fakten gelehrt haben. Es gab in den Sprachen der Autographen und Kopien keine Satzzeichen, Absätze und Verseinteilungen. Damit streichen wir einen weiteren Teil der Behauptung:
„Die Bibel ist Gottes Wort, die heilige Schrift, vollständig von Gott inspiriert und enthält damit exakt das, was Gott wollte. Sie ist uns genau so bis heute erhalten geblieben, wie die Bibel das selbst sagt, jedes Buch, Absatz, Satz, Wort, Komma und Punkt.“
Sollte also jemand mit uns wegen eines Satzzeichens oder Absatzes über die Interpretation des Textes diskutieren wollen, dann sollten wir daran denken, dass diese von den Übersetzern eingefügt wurden. Und uns den Sprachen zuwenden, in denen die überlieferten Manuskripte geschrieben wurden.
In the last video we saw that ‚the Bible‘ itself, especially the books of the New Testament, do not contain any statement that it would be preserved completely intact and correct over the millennia. On the contrary, in the first century – and long after, as we will see – there was no finished, universally accepted canon of scripture. Rather, believers were asked, with the help of God’s Holy Spirit, to examine all teachings and writings and letters to see if they were from God. And again and again the question comes up, who decided when and how which letters and writings should be included in the canon of Christian writings.
I would also like to emphasize that so far we have only used the Bible – exegetically, sola scriptura – and have come to this conclusion. And this will be confirmed in this part of the series.
The place of Laodicea will be familiar to many Bible readers as the site of an early church. If one is asked about a letter to the congregation in Laodicea, one might immediately think of this text:
To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other!
(Revelation 3:14,15 NIV)
We know the content of this ‚letter‘ in that it is printed in Bible today as a part of the Bible book Revelation, whether it was addressed to the church in literal Laodicea, or whether that is to be understood symbolically.
In fact, this is not the only letter to the believers in Laodicea that we know of:
When this letter is read among you, have it also read in the church of the Laodiceans; and you, for your part read my letter that is coming from Laodicea.
(Colossians 4:16 NASB 1995)
The letter to the Colossians is included in the Bible, but the letter to the church in Laodicea is not. According to the first verses in Colossians, ‚Paul, apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God‘ wrote the letter to the Colossians and thus also the aforementioned letter to the church in Laodicea.
This raises some interesting questions:
Why is the letter to the church in Colosse included in the Bible we have today and why is the one to the church in Laodicea not? Perhaps someone is thinking, „Well, it probably had about the same thing in it. Therefore, only one had to be handed down.“ But that can’t be true, otherwise Paul wouldn’t have written that both letters were to be read aloud in both churches. You would have to get into such arguments that this would have served to confirm or repeat the thoughts.
So what was in the letter to the church at Laodicea that was not in the one to the Colossians, which is why Paul wanted both to be read aloud?
Why do we today, and everyone else from the last 2000 years or so, know only the one letter?
Was one more important than the other?
Did God or Jesus have only one planned for the Bible?
What role did the Holy Spirit and inspiration play in these letters?
How did it come to the compilation of the letters that are contained in the Bible today? So the canon of the ‚New Testament‘?
Were there any more letters?
As to the last question, there are already hints in the textual witnesses that have come down to us:
Don’t be so easily shaken or alarmed by those who say that the day of the Lord has already begun. Don’t believe them, even if they claim to have had a spiritual vision, a revelation, or a letter supposedly from us.
(2. Thessalonians 2:2 NLT)
We had already dealt with this text in the last part. So already at that time letters were in circulation which allegedly contained statements of the apostles. Why else would Paul have written this:
I, Paul, write this greeting in my own hand, which is the distinguishing mark in all my letters. This is how I write. See what large letters I use as I write to you with my own hand!
(2. Thessalonians 3:17 NIV; Galatians 6:11 NIV)
Letters played an important role, as these texts show:
Therefore, brothers, stand firm and cling to the traditions we taught you, whether by speech or by letter.
(2. Thessalonians 2:15 BSB)
An example of this is the decision of the Jerusalem assembly on the subject of circumcision:
Instead, we should write and tell them to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals, and from blood. … and sent them with this letter: The apostles and the elders, your brothers, To the brothers among the Gentiles in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia: Greetings. … So the men were sent off and went down to Antioch, where they assembled the congregation and delivered the letter.
(Acts 15:20,23,30 BSB)
So Paul and Barnabas not only came back with a verbal explanation, but they had a letter with them! I would have liked to read it as well. But it did not become part of the canon, although it was so important! So there were a lot of letters, but only a few are part of the canon. Besides the letter to the church in Laodicea, for example, we are missing this one:
I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— … But now I am writing to you that you must not associate with anyone who claims to be a brother or sister but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or slanderer, a drunkard or swindler. Do not even eat with such people.
(1. Corinthians 5:9, 11 NIT)
Since this letter is called the 1st Corinthians letter in the Bible, we are missing the previous one. So the 1st Corinthians letter is actually already the 2nd Corinthians letter, and the 2nd the 3rd letter. At least.
But not only the apostles or the church in Jerusalem wrote letters:
Now regarding the questions you asked in your letter. Yes, it is good to abstain from sexual relations.
(1. Corinthians 7:1 NLT)
So the congregations wrote some, too. And what significance should the letters have for the communities?
I charge you before the Lord to have this letter read to all the brothers and sisters. Take special note of anyone who does not obey our instruction in this letter. Do not associate with them, in order that they may feel ashamed.
The goal was often to edify or even exhort the brothers and sisters:
Dear friends, this is now my second letter to you. I have written both of them as reminders to stimulate you to wholesome thinking.
(2. Peter 3:1 NIV)
Beloved, although I made every effort to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt it necessary to write and urge you to contend earnestly for the faith entrusted once for all to the saints.
(Judas 3 BSB)
So there were many letters for the churches in the first century, which were also considered very important. Why have not all of them been preserved?
At this point we have to consider the historical context. At first, there was only one original letter, the so-called autograph. This was to be read aloud. From this alone we can conclude that only a few in the community could read and write. The original of the letter could be read aloud again and again in the same congregation. But what about the others? At what point were copies made and passed on? Who did this and for what purpose?
As it turns out, the oral tradition was at first even more important than a written one. This is only too understandable. If I can ask an apostle directly, that is more important to me than a papyrus that supposedly comes from apostle so-and-so. It was about credibility and reliability. And copies were also not made with the intention of compiling a Bible. Both will be discussed in the following articles.
But let’s keep in mind: There are different explanations why we don’t know any letter of Laodicean (see Wikipedia letter of Laodicean). About the letter of Paul to the Corinthians before his letter, which we call the first one today, we know nothing at all. If God and Jesus as the head of the congregation planned the transmission of the letters very concretely and directed everything exactly, then this would mean the following:
Jesus wanted Paul to write at least two letters that we know existed from other letters. But these were not to be preserved.
So, did God and Jesus not pay further attention to these other letters or deliberately prevent their transmission?
But how would Jesus have achieved this? The letters did not disappear overnight.
How would he have influenced people to continue copying certain letters and not others?
Is it possible to prove that we know all the necessary letters today, but the Bible does not contain any letter that was warned against at that time?
Isn’t it interesting that just from these few clues from the surviving text, a little reflection can raise interesting questions that touch on our concept of what ‚the Bible‘ is?
But what we can state purely from the text of today’s ‚Bible‘ is this:
There were letters that are mentioned and were so important that they should be read aloud in other congregations.
There were letters sent to congregations, also to be read aloud, but we know nothing about them at all.
And these letters still have not become part of our ‚Bible‘, that is, the canon of the New Testament.
Now, if someone says that God our Father and Jesus our Lord closely supervised the creation of the Bible, it means that they deliberately sorted out these letters that were important at that time.
Let’s also consider, at the end of this part, the assertion from the first part of this series. Do all parts of this sentence stand up to the facts?
„The Bible is God’s Word, the Holy Scriptures, fully inspired by God and thus containing exactly what God intended. It has been preserved for us to this day exactly as the Bible itself says so, every book, paragraph, sentence, word, comma and period.“
I’ve been a bit strict now, and deleted the ‚any book‘ part as well. Why? If someone thinks that every letter of an apostle can also be found in the Bible, then this is not true. And for that, you only need to read the letters that have been handed down yourself. The New Testament does not contain all the letters whose existence is known to us, and the question remains open as to why this is so. They could, after all, have been included in the canon at one time and then later taken out of it. We will see.
In the first part of this series we have already become aware that there are some important and interesting questions about ‚the Bible‘. But before we look at historical facts or anything else, let’s first let the text of ‚the Bible‘ itself speak. What do we learn from the text itself about what constitutes the Bible, how it came to be, and what was to happen in the centuries following its creation? Let’s start with a reference in the second letter to the Thessalonians:
Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers and sisters, not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by the teaching allegedly from us—whether by a prophecy or by word of mouth or by letter—asserting that the day of the Lord has already come.
2 Thessalonians 2:1,2 NIV
According to the traditional view, this letter was written by Paul around the year 50 AD. The phrase „nor by a letter allegedly by us“ raises a question: Couldn’t the believers in Thessalonica simply look in ‚their Bible‘ and check whether the text was included as a letter? Obviously, they couldn’t. What we now call the Bible was just beginning to be written two decades after Jesus‘ death. There was not yet a canon of Christian writings. So at that time, someone could come to the meeting with a letter and claim that it was from Paul, for example. Now, how could one verify whether that was supposed to be part of ‚the Bible‘ or not? This question did not arise at all. Well then, was the question whether it was ‚genuine‘? Not necessarily either. The crucial point was this:
The one who keeps God’s commands lives in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us. Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, …
1 John 3:24 – 4:2 NIV
Fact is: There were already in the first century many orally transmitted reports, many letters and further texts, as already this verse shows. There was a need to check what was circulating. The crucial question was: Does this come from God? And that is the question that we must also ask ourselves today: Does what we read in ‚the Bible‘ today come from God? Because as we have already seen in the last episode, there are many steps between the origin of the text and what we can read in our language today.
But already this verse shows us that still at the end of the first century there could not have been a closed canon of the Christian scriptures, in the sense that exclusively these texts were accepted as coming from God. And everything else as texts of false teachers and ‚apostates‘ should be avoided. On the contrary. The texts were to be examined, which required reading or reading aloud and a comparison with the other scriptures. Even the Holy Spirit helped with this:
He gives one person the power to perform miracles, and another the ability to prophesy. He gives someone else the ability to discern whether a message is from the Spirit of God or from another spirit. Still another person is given the ability to speak in unknown languages, while another is given the ability to interpret what is being said.
1 Corinthians 12:10 NLT
Let’s compare this with the statement: God closely supervised the writing of the Bible and made sure that it has been preserved for us very precisely. What does this mean in concrete terms in the first century? Let’s put ourselves in the position of a believer, for example in Thessalonica, who is listening to a letter being read aloud in the church. As that believer, could you simply say to yourself, „This is God’s word, for he is closely monitoring the record of the Bible?“ No, otherwise there would have been no need for the call to examine. So if there is such a certainty at all, it would have to have come later. But how and by whom?
Is there any Bible text that supports the idea that God would supervise the recording of the Bible in such a way that we would no longer need to check? Perhaps this Bible text comes to your mind.
All Scripture is God-breathed [(gr. theopneustos)] and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
2 Timothy 3:16,17 NIV
In accordance with the Greek text, the singular has been used here: All scripture is … This text might have come to your mind especially when you have read this – somewhat suggestive – translation:
All holy Scripture is inspired by God….
2 Timothy 3:16 New World Translation – German 2018
Won’t readers – in this case mostly Jehovah’s Witnesses – automatically think that ‚the Bible‘ is meant here? Interestingly, the title of the current German translation of Jehovah’s Witnesses, in which 2 Timothy 3:16 is translated like this: The Bible. New World Translation. However, the German editions before that had the title New World Translation of the Scriptures. However, 2 Timothy 3:16 was rendered in it as, „All Scripture is inspired by God ….“ So without the addition holy and in the singular. The title of the English edition is still New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures (plural), rendering the text as in the King James Version: „All Scripture is inspired of God …“ While the title of the Bible contains the plural, the text contains the singular: All Scripture is inspired of God. Let someone else understand that …
But isn’t this already a good example that we don’t know exactly if what we read in ‚our Bible‘ „is from God“ (1 John 4:2)? If, after all, different translations reflect different thoughts here. So let’s check like the Christians in the first century.
First of all, we must ask what is meant here by ‚all Scripture is inspired by God‘ πᾶσα γραφὴ θεόπνευστος. Was the author of the Second Epistle to Timothy referring to the writings of the Jewish Bible, which had been completed centuries earlier? And what about the writings that were to come later, that is, that no one knew about yet? If so, this brings us to the question of the canon: what belongs as ‚inspired Scripture‘ in the canon of Christian writings and what does not? Who decided that? According to what criteria? Did God have a plan a long time ago, virtually the book list of the Bible that were yet to be written? So what is meant by ‚all Scriptures‘ or ‚all Scripture‘? Who determines what belongs to Everything? And how could we know that? These questions are precisely not answered by the canon, but are one of the reasons for the creation of the canon – which took decades to centuries and – you’ll be surprised – may not necessarily have been completed to this day.
What first-century authors meant by ’scriptures‘ becomes clear in texts like this:
For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to theScriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to theScriptures …
1 Corinthians 15:3-4 NIV
When Paul speaks of having handed down something that he had also received, he hardly means by ’the Scriptures‘ his own or those of others in the New Testament – which at that time were often not even written. He argues that his message was already in the Old Testament.
Maybe you also thought of this text.
Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
2. Petrus 1:20,21 NIV
What is meant here by ‚the Scriptures‘ γραφῆς? And let us also not overlook the specific reference to ‚prophecy of …‘. If we assume that Peter wrote the second letter of Peter, we can let the latter explain it himself:
In those days Peter stood up among the believers (a group numbering about a hundred and twenty) and said, “Brothers and sisters, the Scripture had to be fulfilled in which the Holy Spirit spoke long ago through David concerning Judas, who served as guide for those who arrested Jesus.
Acts 1:15,16 NIV
This statement of Peter was also confirmed by Paul in his letter to the Romans:
For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.
Romans 15:4 NIV
So for Peter and Paul ‚the holy scriptures‘ were the text of the Jewish Bible. But didn’t even Jesus say that at least these would not pass away?
For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.
Matthew 5:18 ESV
This text must also be read carefully. Neither is it about the whole Jewish Bible nor the text itself. It is about THE LAW (nomou νόμου) and not the scriptures, and about the fulfillment of what is said in it.
Incidentally, even 1 Peter 1:24, 25, where Peter quotes Isaiah 40:8, is not a promise that the text of the Bible will stand:
For, “All people are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord endures forever.”
The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever.”
1 Peter 1:24, 25; Isaiah 40:8 NIV
So here Peter himself explains again what is meant. Even though this text is the only one quoted in the Watchtower (2017 September pp. 18-22) to prove that „he did he guarantee that it would survive,“ (paragraph 14) as it says at the end of the whole article without further justification. At least at the beginning, when 1 Peter 1:24, 25 is used, it is admitted: „That verse does not specifically refer to the Bible as we know it; yet, the inspired words apply by extension to the Bible’s message.“ Nevertheless, this verse is the only one repeatedly quoted in the Watchtower organization’s literature on this subject. In the same way as usual: Taken out of context and linked to the book of the Bible in the quotation.
The text in 2 Peter 1:21, which we have already considered, goes even further, by the way. The chapter ends here – but the chapter division came more than a thousand years later. We will have to talk about that in this series as well. So let’s just read on for now:
But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves.
2 Peter 2:1 NIV
And these teachers also produced their writings. So this was the situation in which the text of ‚the Bible‘ came into being and had to be preserved. Was there a danger that texts were not only interpreted differently but also changed? Apparently so:
I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.
Revelation 22:18, 19 ESV
Some also call the Bible ‚the word of God‘ or ‚God’s word‘. Is it not at least said of it that it remains?
And we keep on thanking God, because, when you accepted the word of The God that you heard from us, you didn’t accept it as the word of men, but just as it truthfully is… The word of God – which is at work in you believers.
1 Thessalonians 2:13 2001 Translation
First of all, it is interesting that it is said that they heard the ‚Word of God‘ – not read it. And then accepted it. And then it worked in the believers. So in this text no book is meant either.
So is there any biblical text that supports the claim that God and Jesus directed the creation and transmission of ‚the Bible‘ so that it should be available to us accurately and unadulterated? Have you read anywhere in the Gospels that Jesus instructed his disciples to write down his words? But if there are no such texts, we should not claim this about the Bible or God or Jesus and oblige them to do so. Otherwise they might one day ask us: Why do you say such things? Why are you complaining that it wasn’t like that? Where did I ever promise you that?
In fact, one book of the New Testament says something along these lines: the Apocalypse according to John.
He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”
Revelation 21:5 NIV
Does that sound like the New Testament should be published in book form? We mustn’t forget that it was only written around the year 100 AD. Some of the other writings had already been around for many decades. There are similar formulations in the Old Testament.
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Write down these words, for in accordance with these words I have made a covenant with you and with Israel.”
Exodus 34:27 NIV
“Woe to the obstinate children,” declares the LORD… Go now, write it on a tablet for them, inscribe it on a scroll, that for the days to come it may be an everlasting witness.
Isaiah 30:1,8 NIV
Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: Write in a book all the words that I have spoken to you.
Jeremiah 30:2 ESV
In the thirtieth year, on the fifth day of the fourth month, while I was among the exiles by the River Kebar, the heavens opened and I saw visions of God. On the fifth day of the month—it was the fifth year of the exile of King Jehoiachin— the word of the LORD came directly to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeansb by the River Kebar. And there the LORD’s hand was upon him.
Hesekiel 1:1-3 BSB
But as for you, Daniel, keep these words secret and seal up the book until the end of time; many will roam about, and knowledge will increase
Daniel 12:4 NASB
So let us turn to Revelation. There we find the thought even several times:
On the Lord’s Day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet, which said: “Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea.”
Write, therefore, what you have seen, what is now and what will take place later.
To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: …
To the angel of the church in Smyrna write: …
To the angel of the church in Pergamum write: …
To the angel of the church in Thyatira write: …
To the angel of the church in Sardis write: …
To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: …
To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: …
hen I heard a voice from heaven say, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them.”
Then the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!” And he added, “These are the true words of God.”
He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”
And when the seven thunders spoke, I was about to write; but I heard a voice from heaven say, “Seal up what the seven thunders have said and do not write it down.”
Revelation 10:4 NIV
In conclusion, Revelation goes on to say:
I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this scroll: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to that person the plagues described in this scroll. 19And if anyone takes words away from this scroll of prophecy, God will take away from that person any share in the tree of life and in the Holy City, which are described in this scroll.
Revelation 22:18, 19 NIV
So we have what appears to be a somewhat surprising set of facts:
In the first 26 books of the New Testament canon, there are 0 times when we are asked to write something down.
In the last book of the New Testament canon, there are 12 times to write down and 1 time not to.
However, this difference is actually quite natural.
The first 4 books of the New Testament are the Gospels. These do not speak of Jesus being commissioned to write them down. In Luke we find in the introduction the reason that this gospel was written:
Many have undertaken to compose an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, just as they were handed down to us by the initial eyewitnesses and servants of the word. Therefore, having carefully investigated everything from the beginning, it seemed good also to me to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught..
Luke 1:1-4 BSB
The decision came here therefore according to own statement not from God, but from the writer himself.
After that comes the book of Acts:
In my first book, O Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach, …
Acts 1:1 BSB
So the same is true for the Acts of the Apostles. Then come 21 letters – those to specific assemblies and general letters. It is in the nature of a letter that it is a written document. Voice mail did not exist at that time. However, none of the letters say that God commissioned it.
Finally comes the Apocalypse of John. The Greek word from which Apocalypse – and also Revelation – comes, literally means „to reveal, to uncover“. Here the writer emphasizes from the first verse that the content is not his:
The revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who testifies to everything he saw—that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ.
Revelation 1:1,2 NIV
In fact, there are no direct quotations from the Old Testament in John’s Apocalypse. But it is extensively referred to, linguistically as well as in content. And not too scarce, as one can read in Michael S. Heiser’s 300 pages (John’s Use of the Old Testament in the Book of Revelation):
Revelation is thus the only part of the New Testament in which the commission was given to write down the text or vision and thus communicate it to others. This is completely in the tradition of the prophets Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Daniel and typical for the apocalyptic text type, which is already found in Isaiah, Zechariah, Daniel. Already the introduction of the revelation with its time indication resembles passages in Ezekiel or Daniel.
In Revelation 1:11, John is even directly instructed to write down what he saw in a book and send it to the 7 churches. Did this mean the literal churches? The 7-fold request to write to the angel in … is odd there. How do you write a book to an angel? Or is it meant symbolically? We are already in the middle of the difficult exegesis of Revelation.
The real question in part 2 of this series on the canon of the New Testament was, however, whether it contains a statement that the New Testament would be transmitted safely and unaltered.
This is already refuted by Revelation 22:18, 19 itself:
I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this scroll: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to that person the plagues described in this scroll. And if anyone takes words away from this scroll of prophecy, God will take away from that person any share in the tree of life and in the Holy City, which are described in this scroll.
Revelation 22:18, 19 NIV
Why else would anyone have to be threatened with punishment who would leave out or add something? If an unadulterated tradition of God and Jesus had been guaranteed, this could not have happened at all! But since it could happen, then we should check whether it has happened. And if so, to what extent.
First century believers were repeatedly told to check everything to see if it was from God. They could not just pick up ‚their Bible‘ and have a perfect, reliable text that contained only exactly what God had written down for them.
On the other hand, we have seen that Peter and Paul understood by ’scriptures‘ the text of the Jewish Bible. And this text was still well enough handed down, so that from it was quoted to proclaim the gospel.
Let us return once again to the statement about the Bible that we talked about in the first part of this series. There we have to delete a first part of the sentence:
„The Bible is God’s Word, the Holy Scriptures, fully inspired by God and thus containing exactly what God intended. It has been preserved for us to this day exactly as the Bible itself says so, every book, paragraph, sentence, word, comma and period.“
Don’t panic about it now. We will look at other statements in the course of the series that only offer a deceptive hold. And replace these with solid statements. After all, the scriptures do contain some interesting statements about themselves, as we will see in the next part.
A child is watching you read and asks, „What are you reading?“ „The Bible“ „And what is the Bible?“ „Well this book here.“
One of the three volumes of the „Maximiner Riesenbibel“ from the former imperial abbey of St. Maximin in Trier.
Well, your copy is probably not as old as this one. What else might a child ask you?
What does it say?
Who wrote it?
How old is it?
For the first question, we might answer with some child-friendly incidents or parables.
With the second question, we may already notice that it becomes more difficult than with other books where the author is written on the cover. If we say, „The Bible was written by God,“ the child – and I admit he’s a pretty bright kid – might ask, „Can God write on paper?“ „Yes, he sort of did at one time. But most of it was written by people.“ „I thought God wrote it.“ „Yes, but he had people write it down then.“ „And how does that work.“ Now it’s your turn to explain inspiration. „He put it into them.“ „How does that work?“ We realize that this is not as simple as we thought. „And did only one person write it? Or were there more?“ I guess there’s still a lot of explaining to do.
„And then has there been only one book? Is it this one?“ „Initially yes, no, it’s complicated. Actually, in the beginning there was no book at all. And strictly speaking, it’s not a book at all, it’s a collection of writings.“ „But you said it was a book.“ „Yes, that’s what we call it. But, after all, it took well over a thousand years to write.“ „So one started, and the others kept writing more pages?“ We could go on and on with this story. At some point, the topic of language and translations will come up. And then who compiled these things – and that brings us to the canon of the Christian scriptures.
And maybe we ask ourselves at some point how we know that the text we have in front of us is from God and that we have it exactly as He wants it. Nothing more, nothing less, right? At least that is what we should ask ourselves when we build our faith and our lives on this foundation.
I know that some people would like to stop now. It won’t be boring, I can promise you. But perhaps we feel an uneasiness, an underlying fear that a foundation of our faith is being shaken. And that can be frightening. And it may well be that some of the facts we are going to talk about are uncomfortable for you at first. I felt the same way. But it’s like when a dentist checks your tooth with something cold. Here is pain times something good: you know the nerve in the tooth is still alive. And if it hurts a little bit at first in the course of this series, it’s something like that: as far as your faith is concerned, there’s still life in it.
Why such a review of the foundation of our faith is so important becomes clear from a parable of Jesus:
“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”
(Matthew 7:24-27 NIV)
Jesus wanted to explain why it is necessary to act accordingly. But it also applies to the foundations of our faith: If the foundation is not solid, the whole faith building can collapse. And anyone who has experienced how their own faith building can collapse because much of it was made up of the teachings of men might even lose their faith altogether if the foundation is poor.
The Bible is the foundation of our faith, isn’t it? And what about the tradition through the centuries by the church? Already we have another interesting question. And just as one person would spontaneously reject this, another may take it for granted – and many have probably given it little thought. But all this is unconsciously our context with which we read the Bible. Let us summarize some of these – partly unconscious – convictions in one sentence:
„The Bible is God’s Word, the Holy Scriptures, fully inspired by God and thus containing exactly what God intended. It has been preserved for us to this day exactly as the Bible itself says so, every book, paragraph, sentence, word, comma and period.“
In this series, we want to examine these statements on the basis of the text of the Bible and historical facts. In doing so, we will not simply question things or sow doubts, but look for a stable, robust foundation based on facts. It will always be about concrete questions, which we will examine very concretely in order to find concrete answers, even if these are sometimes not as simple as we might prefer.
This is also important because some claims about the Bible and God do not stand up to the facts and this is then blamed on the Bible or God – even though the claim does not come from God and is not found in the Bible. This only brings the Bible or God unnecessarily into disrepute.
First, let’s start with a basic observation: When you read your Bible, are you reading exactly what God said or had written down? How many assumptions are already involved in this consideration? Are you aware of everything that stands between God and the text you are reading?
Some of the points to consider when reading the Bible
The diagram here is to illustrate all that lies between God’s thoughts or purposes and the text you read in your Bible:
Partly oral tradition as in parts of the ‚old testament‘ or the gospels.
The scribe, that is, a person who received or formed and wrote down words and sentences – the autographs.
Those who copied the autographs and made copies of the copies.
Those who, over many decades, established the canon of the Bible, that is, which writings are included in ‚the Bible‘.
Different manuscripts that have differences.
The texts were written in different cultures and languages that are thousands of years old.
The texts from the various, different manuscripts were translated from another language and culture into your language. Different translations contain different wording.
You have your own cultural background and understanding of the language in which you read the Bible.
All this and more must be taken into account and considered when we read the Bible in our language today.
„But surely God has directed this so that the Bible has been accurately handed down to us.“ Isn’t that part of the statement I presented earlier? But perhaps you have the fear that was expressed in a comment on my video The Last Generation. In the video I had said that the part in Matthew 24:3 which is not mentioned in Mark and Luke was probably not in the autograph for good reasons. A comment then was:
„To claim that this so-called addition, „…which is the sign of your coming and the end of the world time“, that this should not be genuine, is not only daring but also very dangerous. …
because this thought game, instills a spirit of uncertainty that threatens to destroy faith in the authenticity of the Holy Scriptures. What is there to doubt in the Bible, what is genuine, etc.?! If we are no longer sure that the Word of God has been faithfully handed down to us, then this is a very dangerous path we are taking. We then doubt the authenticity of the Word of God and also that God would not be able to preserve His written Word until today.“
Part of a commentary on the YouTube video The Last Generation
I fully understand this fear, because I had it too. And so have many others in the last centuries. That’s why we don’t want to do a ‚mind game that instills a spirit of uncertainty‘ now. But rather to examine the facts in order to find a secure foundation on stone. And that is exactly what we will find. It may be that this thought instills too much fear in you at the moment. But ignoring and denying won’t help. Maybe later you will find the stability to address this issue.
In the next part of the series, we will first let the text of the Bible itself speak.
Im letzten Video haben wir gesehen, dass ‚die Bibel‘ selbst, insbesondere die Bücher des Neuen Testaments, keine Aussage beinhalten, dass sie völlig unversehrt und korrekt über die Jahrtausende bewahrt werden würde. Im Gegenteil: Im ersten Jahrhundert – und noch lange danach, wie wir sehen werden – gab es keinen fertigen, allgemeingültigen Kanon der Schriften. Vielmehr wurden die Gläubigen aufgefordert, mit Hilfe des heiligen Geistes Gottes alle Lehren und Schriften und Briefe zu prüfen, ob sie von Gott stammen. Und immer wieder kommt die Frage auf, wer wann und wie entschieden hat, welche Briefe und Schriften im Kanon der christlichen Schriften enthalten sein sollen.
Ich möchte auch betonen, dass wir bisher nur die Bibel – exegetisch, sola scriptura – verwendet haben und zu diesem Schluß gekommen sind. Und das wird sich in diesem Teil der Serie bestätigen.
Der Ort Laodizea wird vielen Bibellesern als Ort einer frühen Gemeinde bekannt sein. Wird man nach einem Brief an die Gemeinde in Laodizea gefragt, denn denkt man vielleicht sofort an diesen Text:
Der Brief an die Gemeinde in Laodizea
„Und dem Engel der Gemeinde in Laodizea schreibe: So spricht, der das Amen ist, der treue und wahrhaftige Zeuge, der Anfang der Schöpfung Gottes: Ich kenne deine Werke und weiss, dass du weder kalt noch warm bist. Wärst du doch kalt oder warm!“
(Offenbarun 3:14,15 Züricher)
Den Inhalt dieses ‚Briefes‘ kennen wir insofern, als er als ein Teil des Bibelbuchs Offenbarung heute in Bibel abgedruckt ist, ob er nun an die Gemeinde im buchstäblichen Laodizea gerichtet war, oder ob das symbolisch zu verstehen ist.
Tatsächlich ist dies aber nicht der einzige Brief an die Gläubigen in Laodizea, von dem wir wissen:
„Und wenn der Brief bei euch vorgelesen worden ist, sorgt dafür, dass er auch in der Gemeinde von Laodizea vorgelesen wird und dass ihr auch den aus Laodizea lest! [Fn. den aus Laodikia: Dieser Brief ist nicht erhalten.]“
(Kolosser 4:16 Einheitsübersetzung 2016)
Der Brief an die Kolosser ist in der Bibel enthalten, der Brief an die Gemeinde in Laodizea hingegen nicht. Gemäß den ersten Versen in Kolosser schrieb ‚Paulus, Apostel Christi Jesu durch den Willen Gottes‘ den Brief an die Kolosser und damit auch den genannten an die Gemeinde in Laodizea.
Damit ergeben sich einige interessante Fragen:
Warum ist der Brief an die Gemeinde in Kolossä in der Bibel, die wir heute haben, enthalten und warum der an die Gemeinde in Laodizea nicht? Vielleicht denkt jemand: „Nun ja, da stand wohl in etwa das gleiche drin. Daher musste nur einer überliefert werden.“ Aber das kann nicht stimmen, sonst hätte Paulus ja nicht geschrieben, dass beide Briefe in beiden Gemeinden vorgelesen werden sollen. Da müsste man sich ja in solche Argumente versteigen, dass dies zur Bestätigung oder Wiederholung der Gedanken gedient hätte.
Was stand also in dem Brief an die Gemeinde in Laodizea, was nicht in dem an die Kolosser stand, weswegen Paulus wollte, dass beide vorgelesen werden?
Warum kennen wir heute und auch alle anderen aus den letzten etwa 2000 Jahren nur den einen Brief?
War der eine wichtiger als der andere?
Hatte Gott oder Jesus für die Bibel nur einen geplant?
Welche Rolle spielte der heilige Geist und Inspiration bei diesen Briefen?
Wie kam es überhaupt zur der Zusammenstellung der Briefe, die heute in der Bibel enthalten sind? Also des Kanons des ‚Neuen Testaments‘?
Gab es noch mehr Briefe?
Zur letzten Frage gibt es schon in den uns erhaltenen Textzeugen Hinweise:
„Lasst euch durch die Behauptung, der Tag des Herrn wäre schon da, nicht so schnell aus der Fassung bringen oder gar in Schrecken versetzen. Glaubt es nicht, auch wenn sich jemand auf eine Geistesoffenbarung, eine angebliche Aussageoder einen Brief von uns beruft.“
(2. Thessalonicher 2:2 NEÜ)
Diesen Text hatten wir schon im letzten Teil behandelt. Schon damals waren also Briefe im Umlauf, die angeblich Aussagen der Apostel enthielten. Warum sonst hätte Paulus dies geschrieben:
„Den Gruß schreibe ich, Paulus, mit eigener Hand. So sieht meine Handschrift aus, das Kennzeichen in jedem meiner Briefe.“ „Seht, mit welch grossen Buchstaben ich euch schreibe, mit eigener Hand!“
Briefe spielten eine wichtige Rolle, wie diese Texte zeigen:
„So steht denn nun fest, ihr Brüder, und haltet fest an den Überlieferungen, die ihr gelehrt worden seid, sei es durch ein Wort oder durch einen Brief von uns.“
(2. Thessalonicher 2:15 Schlachter 2000)
Ein Beispiel dafür ist die Entscheidung der Versammlung in Jerusalem zum Thema Beschneidung:
„Allerdings sollten wir sie in einem Brief dazu auffordern, folgende Dinge zu unterlassen … Der Brief, den sie ihnen mitgaben, lautete folgendermaßen … Paulus und Barnabas sowie die Delegierten wurden offiziell verabschiedet und machten sich auf den Weg nach Antiochia. Dort angekommen, beriefen sie eine Versammlung der ganzen Gemeinde ein und übergaben den Brief.“
(Apostelgeschichte 15:20,23,30 Neue Genfer Übersetzung)
Paulus und Barnabas kamen also nicht nur mit einer mündlichen Erklärung zurück, sondern hatten einen Brief dabei! Den hätte ich auch gerne gelesen. Aber er ist nicht Teil des Kanons geworden, obwohl er doch so wichtig war! Es gab also eine Menge Briefe, aber nur wenige sind Teil des Kanons. Neben dem Brief an die Gemeinde in Laodizea fehlt uns zum Beispiel auch dieser:
„In meinem früheren Brief [Fn. Dieser Brief ist uns nicht erhalten.] habe ich euch vor dem Umgang mit Menschen gewarnt, die ein unmoralisches Leben führen. .. Darum schreibe ich euch jetzt noch einmal unmissverständlich:“
(1. Korinther 5:9, 11 Neue Genfer Übersetzung)
Da dieser Brief in der Bibel als erster Korinther Brief bezeichnet wird, fehlt uns der vorangegangene. Also ist der 1. Korinther Brief eigentlich schon der 2. Korinther Brief, und der 2. der 3. Brief. Mindestens.
Doch nicht nur die Apostel oder die Gemeinde in Jerusalem schrieben Briefe:
„Nun zu der Ansicht, die ihr in euremBrief vertretet, dass es für einen Mann gut sei, keine Frau zu berühren.“
(1. Korinther 7:1 Züricher)
Die Gemeinden schrieben also auch welche. Und welchen Stellenwert sollten die Briefe für die Gemeinden haben?
„Ich beschwöre euch beim Herrn, diesen Briefallen in der Gemeinde vorzulesen.“ „Wenn aber einer dem nicht nachkommt, was in diesem Brief steht, so merkt ihn euch und meidet den Umgang mit ihm, damit er beschämt werde.“
Ziel war oft, die Geschwister zu erbauen oder auch ermahnen:
„Das ist bereits mein zweiter Brief an euch, liebe Geschwister. Durch beide wollte ich euch ‹an längst Bekanntes› erinnern, dass eure gute Gesinnung erwacht.“
(2. Petrus 3:1 NEÜ)
„Liebe Geschwister, ich hatte schon lange vor, euch über unsere gemeinsame Rettung zu schreiben, sah mich aber jetzt genötigt, euch mit diesem Brief zu ermahnen. Kämpft für den Glauben, der allen, die Gott gehören, ein für alle Mal übergeben worden ist!“
(Judas 3 NEÜ)
Es gab also viele Briefe für die Gemeinden im ersten Jahrhundert, welche auch als sehr wichtig betrachtet wurden. Warum sind nicht alle erhalten geblieben?
An dieser Stelle müssen wir den historischen Kontext berücksichtigen. Zuerst gab es ja jeweils nur ein Original eines Briefes, den sogenannten Autographen. Dieser sollte vorgelesen werden. Schon daraus lässt sich schließen, dass nur wenige in der Gemeinde Lesen und Schreiben konnten. Das Original des Briefes konnte in der selben Gemeinde immer wieder vorgelesen werden. Aber was war mit den anderen? Ab wann wurden Kopien angefertigt und weitergegeben? Wer tat das und zu welchem Zweck?
Wie sich zeigt, war die mündliche Überlieferung zuerst noch wichtiger als eine schriftliche. Das ist auch nur zu verständlich. Wenn ich einen Apostel direkt fragen kann ist mir das wichtiger, als ein Papyrus, der angeblich von Apostel Soundso stammt. Es ging um Glaubwürdigkeit und Zuverlässigkeit. Und Kopien wurden auch nicht mit der Absicht erstellt, eine Bibel zusammenzustellen. Auf beides wird in folgenden Artikeln noch eingegangen werden.
Halten wir aber fest: Es gibt verschiedene Erklärungsansätze, warum wir keinen Laodizenerbrief kennen (siehe Wikipedia Laodizenerbrief). Über den Brief des Paulus an die Korinther vor seinem Brief, den wir heute ersten nennen, wissen wir allderings überhaupt nichts. Wenn Gott und Jesus als Haupt der Versammlung die Überlieferung der Briefe ganz konkret geplant und allesgenau geleitet haben, dann würde das ja Folgendes bedeuten:
Jesus wollte, das Paulus mindestens zwei Briefe schrieb, von denen wir aus anderen Briefen wissen, dass sie existierten. Aber diese sollten nicht erhalten bleiben.
Haben also Gott und Jesus diese anderen Briefe also nicht weiter beachtet oder bewusst deren Überlieferung verhindert?
Aber wie hätte Jesus das erreicht? Die Briefe verschwanden ja nicht über Nacht.
Wie hätte er Menschen beeinflußt, dass gewisse Briefe weiter kopiert wurden und andere nicht?
Kann man beweisen, dass wir alle notwendigen Briefe heute kennen, die Bibel aber keinen Brief enthält, vor dem damals gewarnt wurde?
Ist es nicht interessant, dass schon alleine durch diese wenigen Hinweise aus dem überlieferten Text sich durch etwas Nachdenken interessante Frage ergeben, die unsere Auffassung von dem, was ‚die Bibel‘ ist, berühren?
Was wir aber rein aus dem Text der heutigen ‚Bibel‘ festhalten können, ist dies:
Es gab Briefe, die erwähnt werden und so wichtig waren, dass die in anderen Versammlungen vorgelesen werden sollten.
Es gab Briefe, die an Versammlungen geschickt wurden, auch vorgelesen werden sollten, von denen wir aber überhaupt nichts wissen.
Und diese Briefe sind trotzdem nicht Teil unserer ‚Bibel‘, also des Kanon des Neuen Testaments, geworden.
Wenn jemand nun sagt, dass Gott, unser Vater, und Jesus, unser Herr, die Entstehung der Bibel genauestens überwacht haben, dann bedeutet das, dass sie diese damals wichtigen Briefe bewußt aussortiert haben.
Betrachten wir auch am Ende dieses Teils die Behauptung aus dem ersten Teil dieser Serie. Halten alle Teile dieses Satzes den Fakten stand?
„Die Bibel ist Gottes Wort, die heilige Schrift, vollständig von Gott inspiriert und enthält damit exakt das, was Gott wollte. Sie ist uns genau so bis heute erhalten geblieben, wie die Bibel das selbst sagt, jedes Buch, Absatz, Satz, Wort, Komma und Punkt.“
Ich bin jetzt etwas streng gewesen, und habe den Teil ‚jedes Buch‘ auch gestrichen. Warum? Wenn jemand meint, dass jeder Brief eines Apostels auch in der Bibel zu finden ist, dann stimmt das nicht. Und dazu braucht man nur die überlieferten Briefe selbst zu lesen. Das Neue Testament enthält nicht alle Briefe, deren Existenz uns bekannt ist, und die Frage bleibt offen, warum das so ist. Sie könnten ja auch einst im Kanon enthalten gewesen und später dann wieder aus dem Kanon herausgenommen worden sein. Wir werden sehen.
The website STEP contains the text of many Bible translations and allows searching for words of the original languages in the translations as well.
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